EAL Programme
The OWIS English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme is designed to provide students with the support they need to master the English language.
As international-mindedness is a key driver for OWIS and a large portion of its student body hails from expatriate families, there are often a number of EAL students enrolled at any given time. At OWIS, we believe that language learning and fluency requires support, both within the classroom and outside of it.
We welcome students who are new to English in Early Childhood and offer our EAL programme for students in Grades 1 to 6 in Primary School. Each grade-level is assigned an EAL specialist who works directly with students whose native language is something other than English. By grade 7, the expectation is that all students enrolled will have mastered the English language and will be able to conduct their studies exclusively in English. We offer EAL support in all our school campuses.
The OWIS approach to EAL
The EAL programme plays a pivotal role at our international school. At OWIS, we are proud of our multicultural environment, and we love the fact that we have students who hail from countries around the world. However, this diverse student body also requires us to rise to the challenges that come along with that.
Many of our students have been speaking a different language in their homes and in the educational setting since they were born. This requires us to develop an innovative EAL curriculum that works to actively improve the English skills of our students.
Our EAL programme includes:
An evaluation of each individual student's current English language skills. The EAL specialist will determine where they are in terms of their fluency and understanding and will then create goals that are personalised for that individual student.
Intentional teaching methods that focus on contextualised language use. Students are provided with immersive and engaging lessons that allow them to use their English skills both orally and in writing. We emphasise our inquiry-based approach to our EAL programme.
Purposeful inquiry into English-based texts and lessons. This approach leads to a conceptual understanding of the English language.
Get in touch with us to see how we can support your child’s all-round development
Learn more about the IB PYP and our child-centred teaching methodology. Discover why our rigorous and holistic curriculum successfully prepares your child for secondary school and see how we raise internationally-minded and confident lifelong learners.
Multicultural Learning at OWIS
We believe that the beauty of our school lies in our differences.
What does it feel like to be a part of the OWIS family?
Chanya was six years when she enrolled in Grade 1 during the academic year in October 2016. She was previously in a Thai school and we realised that her weak grasp of English could obstruct her daily school life. As a new student, both to the school and in the language, I was so worried about her. But after starting at OWIS, my daughter had settled down very well after the first few weeks. The English as an Additional Language program (EAL) offering one-on-one support has helped her to catch up quickly with her social life and normal classes. We have been delighted being a part of the One World community.
